THE ROYAL WELSH MALE CHOIR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3151, 31 March 1909, Page 5

THE ROYAL WELSH MALE CHOIR.

"On Saturday evening next the Welsh Choir will open at the Town Hall for a limited season of two nights only, under the direction of Messrs J. and N. Tait. Mr William Thomas, the conductor, was born of a very musical family at Mountain Ash, twenty miles from Cardiff. About eight yesrs ago Mr Thomas formed the Noddfa Choral Union of 250 voices at Treorchy, where they have since performed many of the great oratorios with star artists as soloists. For 35 years he has conducted the Noddfa Nonconformist Church Choir at Treorchy, and the present Royal WHsh Choir sprang from that in 1885, when the male voices from it won the chief prize at the St. Fagan's Eisteddfod, much to tneir own surprise, and the delight of their friends in the district. "Since then," remarked Mr Thomas in an interview, "we have never looked back. In 1888 we carried off the male voice championship at the National Eisteddfod, of Wales. We won three more championship prizes at National Eisteddfods, notably the £IOO prize at LlanellySj Six weeks later we sang by command at Windsor Castle before Queen Victoria, who presented me with an. ebony gold-mounted baton." The touring manager, Mr A. W. Batiste is anxious that choir masters and others musically interested shall call upon Miss Rive in order that arrangements may be made to meet Mr Thomas, the conductor of the Choir. The box plan will open at Miss Rive's this morning at 10 o'clock. Seats may be reserved by post.